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Why Should You Go to a Bridal Show When You’ve Already Got Pinterest?

blog-Great-Bridal-Expo-PromoWhat is your wedding theme and color? Have you chosen a venue yet? How big is your wedding? What stationery are you using? Have you picked your cake or flowers? Are you taking dance lessons? Handing out party favors? Where are your in-laws staying? Have you thought about the food? What is the style and color of your bridesmaids’ dresses? Who is doing your makeup? Brooch bouquet or natural flowers? Does all this stuff match your Save the Date cards!? Venues, and veils and Guests, OH MY! No one said planning one of the biggest days of your life would be easy, but we can help and you don’t have to go it alone.

blog-great-bridal-expo-pinterestIt’s time to make wedding planning easy! Dive deep into the world of wedding planning and have a great day with your bridesmaids looking at potential flowers, center pieces, gowns, and stationery for your wedding. There are a lot online and magazine resources to help you plan, but it can become difficult to keep it all organized. Have you spent hours on Pinterest, pinning up all your hopes and dreams for your wedding? But now what? Most links on Pinterest don’t even work and the stuff in the magazines is always over budget–am I right?

The Great Bridal Expo is easily one of the most popular bridal shows and it tours around the country. This year, the show kicked off in Washington, DC. What? It’s already happened? Keep calm. There are still more shows ahead!

Go Big this weekend in the Big Apple and in Philly! Or, swing by in October in the great city of Baltimore!

Yes, you can get help with all things wedding–from professionals! Your bridesmaids are invaluable, but when was the last time they designed the perfect stationery with exactly that one font with all the curlicues and in that particular color that matches your fiancée’s eyes? And, do you really trust them to pick songs for the DJ? Remember the chicken dance?

Bridal shows are also the place where you can win amazing things like wedding invitations valued at more than $100, center pieces and jewelry – heck, you can even get your nails done. Have a day with your bridesmaids and check out in person what really fits your style for your perfect big day.  Don’t get bogged down trying to stay afloat in this crazy wedding planning world. Pick a theme, pick a color, and pick a date!

Join experienced professionals this weekend or the next week! Win prizes and support from all kinds of specialty bridal stores. The professionals are here to make your day perfect. They are here to help make all your dreams come true.

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Alcohol DJ Save the Date Wedding Reception Wedding Tips

How to Ensure That Your Guests Have Fun at the Party!

Many brides-to-be dream of hosting a perfect and beautiful day. They sometimes forget that their wedding day should and could be fun too. Ensuring that your guests have fun at your reception can be a daunting task. They key is to plan something unique but easy for guests to partake in. Here are five ways to ensure that your guests can have fun and you can host an unforgettable event!

Set up a Home Made Photo Booth
wedding-photo-boothPhoto booths can be very expensive to rent. Brides on a budget do not have to forego this fun family and friend activity. Set up an oversized ornate frame at a designated corner in your reception hall or a section outside if you are exchanging vows in an outdoor area. Place a digital camera on a stool for guests to pose on and place a number of props nearby (boa, sunglasses, hats, masks). Set directions near the “booth” and allow your friends and family to click away. Print out each image and send it to them as a keepsake in your thank you notes!

Boast a Cake Topping Bar

Guests also find it fun when they get to design and dish up their own desserts. Set up a topping station so guests can embellish their piece of wedding cake or individual cupcake. Toppings like sprinkles, candy, fruit, and whipped cream are affordable and fun to add to plain pieces of cake, made to your guests’ liking.

Host a Dance Off

Nothing puts guests in a dancing mood more than a dance off-with prizes! Fill several bags with items like gas gift cards, massages, pedicures, and bottle of wine or liquor. Have everyone take part in cheering on their favorite dancers and ask your DJ or band to announce the winners of categories like, “Most Original Moves”, “Worst Moves,” “Drunkest Dancer,” or “Best Dance Moves.” It will break up the night and make your guests laugh and eager to get involved in the name of good fun.

Play a Song for Groups of Guests

Have some songs that are special to friends or family members? Maybe certain tunes help you remember your spring break with the ladies, a special moment with your siblings, or simply a fun time with family and friends. Throughout the night, ask the DJ or band to play these specific songs and announce who they are for to get everyone up dancing and reminiscing. It’s easy to do and completely unique.

Make a Signature Drink

blog-how-to-ensureIf you are getting married at your own home or a friend or family member’s estate, you have more flexibility when it comes to selecting what to serve and offering specialties at the bar.  Consider inviting your guests to create or mix their own drinks. It not only saves on a bartender for brides who are pinching pennies, but also allows your guests to get their creative juices (or spirits) flowing!

Making sure your guests have a good time is just as important as hosting a beautiful wedding. Consider trying some of the simple yet affordable suggestions above to help ensure a good time for all in attendance!

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Alcohol DJ Wedding Etiquette Wedding Reception Wedding Tips

Chicken Dance or None of That Ilk?

Let’s face it. There is nothing funnier than watching those you love the most (grandma?) bust a move on the dance floor in honor of your sacred and celebratory union. You want to make sure you get the entire crowd up and moving to kick off your reception with a bang. The Chicken Dance has been a classic group dance that has been popularly (and annoyingly) played at weddings since the 80’s. Should you have your band or DJ play this notoriousblog-chicken-dance tune? Or, are you going to pass on tradition? Here are some pros and cons of the infamous dance to help you decide if you want your guests to flap, clap, and waddle!

Pros:

  • The dance is enticing and catchy. You can’t help but smile when you hear the accordion’s playfully quick beat.
  • The song complements informal, outdoor, or retro themed weddings.
  • Elder members in your family are familiar with the song and they will be more inclined to dance to “oldies but goodies.”
  • You are sure to chuckle when you see the video of your wedding party dance to this tune after cocktail hour and the champagne toast (plus it makes an awesome blackmail).

Cons:

  • The chicken dance has been associated with lacking prestige, so if you want a very formal affair, pass on playing it.
  • Chances are if you play this song, you’ll be egged on to dance to the song as well, and your photographer is certain to catch this unflattering, cringe-worthy moment on film!
  • Your band or DJ plays for a limited time. This song is long and will take the place of other tunes you genuinely want to hear.

Do the pros outweigh the cons, or vice versa? Be sure to think about the type of event you are putting on and the demeanor and age of your attendees before you flap, clap, and waddle!

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DJ Wedding Tips

The Ultimate Wedding Question: Hire a DJ or a Band?

Let’s face it: you don’t want to have just any wedding – you want to have the party of the year.  You want to throw the kind of wedding that’s so fun and exciting, your friends will be talking about it for years to come.  You’ve got the food in place, the perfect venue booked, and a dress that will stun and amaze…

Now all you need to do is hire a DJ or a band.

Not surprisingly, this can be one of the biggest dilemmas couples face when planning a wedding.  The music at a reception can set a critical tone in determining the events of the night: play the right music, and the wedding’s a blast.  Play the wrong music, however, and the reception quickly becomes a letdown.

You want your guests to have the time of their lives, which is why you’re taking this question so seriously.  So if you’re still on the fence as to whether you should hire a DJ or a wedding band, keep the following advice in mind:

  • Think about the type of bride you are and your musical tastes.  If you and your sweetheart love an eclectic array of music that many bands won’t know about, you might want to consider hiring a DJ.  If, however, you love nothing more than getting down to the latest hits and the classics of yesteryear, a wedding band can be a viable option.
  • Consider your budget.  While a wedding band and DJ can both run at similar price ranges, you’ll be expected to feed your band while they’re at the reception.  This could end up costing you a few extra hundred dollars in costs, depending on the size of the band and the price of the plates.  However, don’t emphasize cost over quality – the DJ or the wedding band singer is going to be the one introducing you and your sweetheart as a newly married couple.  If someone has a wonderful vibe and truly “gets” you as a DJ or wedding band, you should go with your gut instinct.
  • Read customer reviews before hiring any DJ or wedding band.  You don’t want to discover any nasty surprises on the night of your wedding – like your DJ likes to go to gigs drunk or the wedding singer who loves to play every Whitney Houston song known to man.

If you’re still confused about the issue, outsource it to your future husband; one of the traditional tasks of the groom is to pick the music for the wedding.  It’s a great way to check another task off your growing wedding to-do list!